The clashes in Catatumbo have left about 80 dead, more than 20 injured and more than 18,000 people displaced, mainly towards the urban capitals of Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú, cities in Norte de Santander.
The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, declared this Monday, January 20, the state of internal commotion and economic emergency due to the offensive that the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla has undertaken against a FARC dissident in the Catatumbo region. which leaves more than 80 dead.
«The state of internal commotion and the state of economic emergency are declared. “I expect your support from the judiciary,” the president expressed on social network X.
Peter He also told the ELN that “the revolution can only be done with the people and without violence.”
“Peace is the revolutionary flag because it is the flag of life (…) Military takeover will always develop with the economic transformation of regions under violence,” said the president.
The clashes have left about 80 dead, more than 20 injured and more than 18,000 people displaced, mainly towards the urban centers of Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú, cities in Norte de Santander, the department to which Catatumbo belongs.
*Read also: Colombian Army deployed 300 men to the Catatumbo region due to ELN violence
Exceptional measure
The president can decree a state of internal commotion, according to article 213 of the Constitution, “in case of serious disturbance of public order that imminently threatens institutional stability, the security of the State, or citizen coexistence, and that does not can be averted through the use of the ordinary powers of the Police authorities.
This measure can be declared for a period of no more than ninety days, extendable for up to two periods of the same duration, the second of which requires a favorable opinion from the Senate.
With this declaration, “the Government will have the strictly necessary powers to avert the causes of the disturbance and prevent the extension of its effects.”
“The legislative decrees issued by the Government may suspend laws incompatible with the State of Unrest and will cease to apply as soon as public order is declared restored,” according to the Constitution.
Crisis in Catatumbo
The governor of Norte de Santander, William Villamizar, put the number of killed at more than 80 and more than 20 injured, although the authorities have not yet been able to access all the areas where there has been fighting.
Furthermore, the ombudsman, Iris Marín, assured that there are “at least 18,000 displaced people, and there could be many more,” who have arrived especially in Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú.
For its part, the ELN released a statement yesterday that has been reinforced with a column today from its leader, ‘Antonio García’, ensuring that five murdered peace signatories were really back in arms with the FARC dissidents.
In that sense, Petro pointed out that the ELN guerrillas “have lost their intelligence” and are transforming into a “narco-armed” organization.
«The ELN has chosen the path of war and it will have war. “We, the Government, are on the side of the people,” said Petro.
With information from EFE
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
Post Views: 283
